Rideau Hall unveils newest 83 additions to the Order of Canada

Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette is naming 83 more Canadians to the Order of Canada.

The list out this morning from Rideau Hall includes athletes, researchers, teachers, scientists, artists, jurists and actors, from all across the country.

Among the notable names on this year's list is former National Hockey League player Reggie Leach, one-time Montreal Expo Claude Raymond, former commissioner of Nunavut Edna Elias, chef Michael Smith, and Moya Greene, who was once chief executive at Canada Post before running the U.K.'s Royal Mail.

Each of them say they are surprised and touched to receive appointments.

Others on the pre-Canada Day list include CTV News journalist Lisa LaFlamme, former journalist and official-languages commissioner Graham Fraser, brewer John Sleeman, and Quebec actor Michel Dumont.

The additions to the honour roll raise the tally in the Order of Canada to almost 7,000 names since its creation in 1967.

Leach joins one of his ancestors, Rev. Frederic Leach, and good friend, former Philadelphia Flyers teammate Bobby Clarke, in the Order of Canada. Leach is being honoured for his work in promoting sport as a way to build healthy communities, part of his regular talks with Indigenous youth.

"Hockey to me was just a stepping stone to my life circle. I am more proud of what I did after hockey than what I did during my hockey days," said Leach, who is Ojibwa.

"I'm very proud of who I am and very proud of what I do with our communities across the country."

In an interview from the U.K., Greene said the honour is different from when the Queen bestowed a damehood on her last year.

"This is very, very special for my country — the country that just gave me nothing but opportunity, really — to recognize me in this way," she said. Greene is from St. John's, N.L., and spent most of her career in Canadian government and business before leading the privatization of the British mail service.

Smith, an American-born chef who has lived and worked mainly in Atlantic Canada since the 1990s, called the honour "a tremendous validation" of 30 years of hard work. Trying to soak it all in, Smith said in a telephone interview that it was "just so hard to get your head around."

A ceremony for the inductees will be held later.

Appointments to the Order of Canada are made by the Governor General on the advice of an advisory council. Nominations are open to any Canadian, with the exception of federal and provincial politicians and judges while in office.